NightCrawler
First Post
Imagine some paladins guards in a metropolis.
What will they look like? Can you suggest some feats and styles of play?
Spells?
What will they look like? Can you suggest some feats and styles of play?
Spells?
Paladin guard
- Thread starter NightCrawler
- Start date
SelcSilverhand
First Post
For paladins as a city guard, I would set them up in a classic style with longswords and light shields, and probably a sap or club. The weapons might vary a bit depending on where the guard is stationed. Someone patrolling the wall would need different weapons than those walking the streets. Primarily they would use the sap/club to deal nonlethal damage and break up fights, but they would have their swords to fall back on when facing a violent person. Each should carry a horn or whistle for summoning help from other patrolling guards. Additionally, they would carry masterwork manacles in medium and small sizes.
If the guards are high enough level and magic is common, I'd make their weapons +1 Merciful, so they always deal an extra 1d6 non-lethal and all normal damage is non-lethal as well. I believe you have the option to turn off the non-lethal part though if you were facing, say, undead.
The field commanders could have a level or two of the Justicator prestige class. You get additional non-lethal damage and some nifty abilities to grapple and shackle your foe.
For their spell list, they should have a healing spell at all times on hand to help injured citizens.
For skills and feats, combat expertise and improved grapple are good, as is improved disarm. Anything to incapacitate and apprehend your foe. Crank sense motive, diplomacy, spot, and listen.
Tactically, I would run my city guards as medieval cops. They walk the beat in pairs or groups in seedier parts of the city. While on patrol they check on shifty merchants for stolen goods (sense motive), look for pickpockets (spot), and help out citizens however they can. Most of the time they will be breaking up fights or apprehending criminals in the act. When fighting they try to subdue first, then break out the lethal damage if the enemy is dangerous. Disarm, grapple, pin, then slap the manacles on them. Blowing the horns would bring other nearby guards running.
If the guards are high enough level and magic is common, I'd make their weapons +1 Merciful, so they always deal an extra 1d6 non-lethal and all normal damage is non-lethal as well. I believe you have the option to turn off the non-lethal part though if you were facing, say, undead.
The field commanders could have a level or two of the Justicator prestige class. You get additional non-lethal damage and some nifty abilities to grapple and shackle your foe.
For their spell list, they should have a healing spell at all times on hand to help injured citizens.
For skills and feats, combat expertise and improved grapple are good, as is improved disarm. Anything to incapacitate and apprehend your foe. Crank sense motive, diplomacy, spot, and listen.
Tactically, I would run my city guards as medieval cops. They walk the beat in pairs or groups in seedier parts of the city. While on patrol they check on shifty merchants for stolen goods (sense motive), look for pickpockets (spot), and help out citizens however they can. Most of the time they will be breaking up fights or apprehending criminals in the act. When fighting they try to subdue first, then break out the lethal damage if the enemy is dangerous. Disarm, grapple, pin, then slap the manacles on them. Blowing the horns would bring other nearby guards running.
A few other things to consider:
-Are all the guards Paladins, or is the guard headed by Paladins with NPCs as the rank and file guards (so, likely warriors and experts for a typical beat, with the officers as Paladins). Unless your world is one where nearly everyone has levels in a PC class, I think the second is more likely - your beat cops are 1st or 2nd level warriors, and the Paladins are the officers and SWAT. The warriors are still going to mostly follow the same code as the Paladins - lawful good, stay out of trouble, religious, etc. - but they aren't special enough to get all the goodies a Paladin does. It also means you can have some good old police corruption, always nice if your players are spending time in a city.
-Is the city a theocracy, or part of one? So, do the Paladins serve as city guards because their religion rules the city, or just because their religion is popular in that city and the feel a moral obligation?
-Particularly if the city is *not* a theocracy, are there other religions in the city, and how good are relations between the other religions and whatever church the Paladins belong to? Will the paladins, believing members of the other religion to be heretics or infidels, crack down on them and ignore minor things from members of their own religion? Or do they strive to play things 100% fair?
Some general stuff:
In addition to the good suggestions SelcSilverhand made, I'd suggest a few other things:
Equipment:
-Wear light armor for most things. A chain shirt and a light shield is still more protection than your average citizen, but it doesn't prevent you from chasing down a criminal. Masterwork reduces the ACP, important if you need to climb a ladder or charge through debris.
-Grab the heavier armor for raids on criminal hideouts and such - SWAT-team things. Still have some lightly armored people ready to chase down runners, though.
-Longsword might be classic, but grab a flail. The bonuses to Disarm and Trip dovetail nicely with SelcSilverhand's suggestions.
Feats:
-Run. Great for chasing down fleeing criminals. Without it, your Paladins can't even hope to keep up with an unarmored pickpocket if they're wearing medium or heavy armor. And if they're wearing light armor, the Paladins can actually outrun most people, making it easy to catch fleeing criminals.
-Alertness and Negotiator are both decent choices for a guard. Spot trouble, and learn how to diffuse it. Investigator is another option.
-Improved Initiative. If you expect criminals to run rather than fight, this lets you cut off their escape route.
-Are all the guards Paladins, or is the guard headed by Paladins with NPCs as the rank and file guards (so, likely warriors and experts for a typical beat, with the officers as Paladins). Unless your world is one where nearly everyone has levels in a PC class, I think the second is more likely - your beat cops are 1st or 2nd level warriors, and the Paladins are the officers and SWAT. The warriors are still going to mostly follow the same code as the Paladins - lawful good, stay out of trouble, religious, etc. - but they aren't special enough to get all the goodies a Paladin does. It also means you can have some good old police corruption, always nice if your players are spending time in a city.
-Is the city a theocracy, or part of one? So, do the Paladins serve as city guards because their religion rules the city, or just because their religion is popular in that city and the feel a moral obligation?
-Particularly if the city is *not* a theocracy, are there other religions in the city, and how good are relations between the other religions and whatever church the Paladins belong to? Will the paladins, believing members of the other religion to be heretics or infidels, crack down on them and ignore minor things from members of their own religion? Or do they strive to play things 100% fair?
Some general stuff:
In addition to the good suggestions SelcSilverhand made, I'd suggest a few other things:
Equipment:
-Wear light armor for most things. A chain shirt and a light shield is still more protection than your average citizen, but it doesn't prevent you from chasing down a criminal. Masterwork reduces the ACP, important if you need to climb a ladder or charge through debris.
-Grab the heavier armor for raids on criminal hideouts and such - SWAT-team things. Still have some lightly armored people ready to chase down runners, though.
-Longsword might be classic, but grab a flail. The bonuses to Disarm and Trip dovetail nicely with SelcSilverhand's suggestions.
Feats:
-Run. Great for chasing down fleeing criminals. Without it, your Paladins can't even hope to keep up with an unarmored pickpocket if they're wearing medium or heavy armor. And if they're wearing light armor, the Paladins can actually outrun most people, making it easy to catch fleeing criminals.
-Alertness and Negotiator are both decent choices for a guard. Spot trouble, and learn how to diffuse it. Investigator is another option.
-Improved Initiative. If you expect criminals to run rather than fight, this lets you cut off their escape route.
NightCrawler
First Post
Ok thx for everyone!
As for their equipment i think something like a light steel shield +2 and a chain shirt +2.
A mercifull longsword and a sap, a whistle and a ring of protection +3.
Also a belt of giant str +4.
They are lvl 14.. Are those items too much for them or must i boost them more?
They are not soldiers.. Only cops patroling the city..
As for their equipment i think something like a light steel shield +2 and a chain shirt +2.
A mercifull longsword and a sap, a whistle and a ring of protection +3.
Also a belt of giant str +4.
They are lvl 14.. Are those items too much for them or must i boost them more?
They are not soldiers.. Only cops patroling the city..
1) I'd arm them with a club of some sort- the nightstick has been the universal tool of police forces all over the world for some time. And I wouldn't make their swords merciful- a sword is both a symbol of authority and very useful if someone genuinely needs hurting.
Besides, isn't there some Feat that lets you use normal weapons for nonlethal strikes without penalty?
2) Lvl 14 seems a bit steep for mere cops! Most street-level commanders would probably top out around 5th or so. Cops don't beat the bad guys with superior force of arms in single combat, they call their buddies and gang up- that's why they have the whistles.
Besides, isn't there some Feat that lets you use normal weapons for nonlethal strikes without penalty?
2) Lvl 14 seems a bit steep for mere cops! Most street-level commanders would probably top out around 5th or so. Cops don't beat the bad guys with superior force of arms in single combat, they call their buddies and gang up- that's why they have the whistles.
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